


Past the Horizon

by JaneSkylark



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-04-24 20:52:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19181164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneSkylark/pseuds/JaneSkylark
Summary: HP: Hogwarts Era AU Sixth Year. Short, somber drabble. One-shot.





	Past the Horizon

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!

“Saw the paper have you?” James sat down next to Lily on the grass and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

Lily would have responded if she could but the tears were thick in her throat so she only nodded. Dalton Clagg. Dead. “He was only three years older than us. He helped me with Arithmancy back in 4th.”

“Right.” James was silent for a moment and he rubbed her back as she looked out over the lake. Gray clouds hung heavy overhead. “He knew what he was doing. He chose a job as an auror. He knew the risks.”

“And that makes it okay?” She questioned as her head whipped around.

“No, of course not but what he’s doing is worth the risk. It’s that important. We can’t allow...” James paused slowly and the clouds finally wept like Lily and light rain began to coat his hair before he continued. “He can’t win, Lily. No matter the cost.”

“How can you say that?” She begged as she wiped the tears from her cheek angrily. “No matter the cost?”

“Because we all know what the ultimate goal is. What he wants and I won’t let that happen. A lot of us won’t let that happen.”

“So innocent people die and will continue to die?”

“Yes, and I will too if it comes to it.”

“Don’t say that, don’t even think it!” She spat angrily and wrung her hands through her hair. She looked up at the sky wanting to scream. The anger and the sadness of the situation bubbled up through her and her skin tingled with energy as goosebumps rose on her arms. She wanted to scream, cry, to run away but she couldn’t do any of those things.

“I would. If it meant defeating him I would lay down my life now. There are a lot of people who would, you included I suspect.” He added truthfully as he looked at her but she didn’t respond, knowing he was right. If it meant an end to this suffering and pain she would lay her life down also. 

Lily sighed deeply and looked back out at the lake. “I can’t stand it. Reading the names. They’ll keep coming and we’ll see more that we know, friends, family. How can this be what is meant to happen? How can this be our path?”

“There hasn’t been a time in our lives, Lily that some part of the world hasn’t been fighting. It’s just this time it’s at our doorstep. Our battlefield. But you can’t give up. That’s what he wants. He wants us all to give in, to hide and to allow it. But there’s too much at stake now. Imagine Hogwarts, imagine the world the way he wants it. It’s too awful to contemplate. A nightmare.”

“It’s already a nightmare.”

They both stayed quiet for a long while as the light rain came down in soft waves. James hand stayed on her back as he rubbed small circles soothingly over her sweater. 

“I can’t see it.”

“See what?”

“When I first came to Hogwarts I would sit in this very spot, look out over the water and I would see it.”

James shook his head. “Sorry, Lil. I don’t follow.”

“I would see my future, each coming year I would think about my classes and what grades I would get, clubs I would join, friends I would have. I used to see myself as head girl, graduating and coming back to visit. But now I can’t see any of that. I just see the lake before me and I'll go back inside and then that's it. Everything I used to see before feels gone. Like waves on the lake hitting the shore and disappearing.”

James brought his fingers to his lips and rubbed them softly. “Oh, well that’s easy.”

“What is?”

“I can see it.”

Lily turned back to face him. “You can?”

“Sure, just past the horizon. Past the lake and the waves and the shore.” He nodded towards the lake in front of where they sat. He picked a stray piece of her hair and tucked it behind her ear as he ran his knuckles across her cheek. “You’ll be head girl and a fantastic one. Probably the best one the school has ever seen. They'll even give you an honorary badge for life." 

She cracked a small smile and he continued, "You’ll keep our shenanigans in check but you’ll allow us our wild quidditch celebrations," She rolled her eyes and he added, "but also make sure they don’t get too out of hand. You’ll graduate top of the class of course and you’ll get a proper job doing whatever you want to do," he paused for a moment and his next breath hung heavy in the air as Lily waited for him to finish. "And we’ll all come back here years from now. We’ll walk the lake together and maybe you’ll even let me snog you under the stands.” She smiled. “All of us together. Happy and safe.”

“You really can see it?”

“Of course I can. Happy and safe. All of us,” he whispered as he leaned down and placed his head atop hers. “I promise.”


End file.
